Vulcano, Italy

Location: 38.4 N, 15.0 E
Elevation: 1,600 feet (500 m)

Vulcano is a volcanic island and the southernmost of the Aeolian
Islands. It is made from several overlapping volcanic centers. The
older stratovolcano is just to the left of the center of the photo.
Fossa cone, the most recently active vent, is near the center of the
photo. Vulcanello, a young cone, is the foreground. Photograph by Chuck
Wood.

Map of Vulcano compiled from Keller (1980) and Imbo (1965).

This photo shows the flanks of the older stratovolcano that makes the
southern part of the island.
Photograph copyrighted and provided by Steve O'Meara
of Volcano Watch International.

The history of Vulcano begins with the formation of a stratovolcano that
collapsed to producing the Il Piano caldera.
The caldera is partially filled with pyroclastic
deposits and lava flows. This stratovolcano and caldera make the southern part of
the island.

The Lentia lava dome complex grew to the northwest of the older
stratovolcano. The dome complex also collapsed to produce a caldera.
This photo shows the southeast wall of the caldera. Photograph by Chuck Wood.

The Fossa cone grew within the Lentia caldera. Fossa makes up most of
the northern part of the island. The cone began to form sometime after
11,000-8,500 years ago. At least four volcanic cycles constructed the
cone. Each of the four known cycles had different vent locations and
different eruptive histories. In general, however, each cycle started
with phreatic
eruptions and ended with eruptions that produced pumice
fall deposits or lava flows. Photograph by Chuck Wood.

Inside the Gran Cratere at the summit of the Fossa cone.
Photograph copyrighted and provided by Steve O'Meara of Volcano Watch International.

Active fumaroles
are now concentrated near the Gran Cratere on Fossa. Photograph copyrighted and provided by
Steve O'Meara of Volcano Watch International.

The youngest cone on the island, Vulcanello, began to form in 183 B.C.
This photo is looking north from Fossa cone. Vulcanello is in the middle
ground. The island of Lipari is just beyond Vulcanello. Photograph by
Chuck Wood.

Looking southwest to Vulcanello. Photograph by Chuck Wood.

Vulcano last erupted from 1888 to 1890. The eruption deposited 15 feet
(5 m) of pyroclastic material at the summit of Fossa. Bombs about 3 feet
(1 m) in diameter fell 0.6 miles (1 km) from the vent.

The Vulcanian style of
eruption is based on the 1888-1890 eruption of Vulcano. Vulcano was quiet
for the preceding 100 years. The eruption started with the ejection of
blocks of old vent material. As the eruption progressed it began ejecting
fresh lava in the form of blocks, bomb, and ash.
Breadcrust bombs, distinctive to this style of eruption, were ejected
about half-way through the eruption. Explosions were intermittent and
separated by quiet periods lasting a few minutes to a few days.
Explosions varied in strength. Only the largest explosions could throw
blocks and bombs. Strong eruptions were separated by longer quiet
periods. No domes
or lava flows were produced at the end of the eruption.

Our word volcano owes it's origin to Vulcano. The Roman god of fire,
responsible for making the weapons of the gods, was called Vulcan and he
lived within the volcano we call Vulcano. The glow of eruptions was
thought to be from Vulcan's forges as we worked beneath the earth.